News for today's 2018

The voices in my head

11:24 PM Tukiyooo 0

There's a "good" voice and a "bad" voice constantly talking in my head. It drives me nuts sometimes. Today the conversation about working out went like this: It can't be 5am already! I just went to sleep. I'm not working out today, I'm too tired! Get your butt out of bed. Remember, this is how it starts. But I think I'm getting bronchitis. I have that weird tickle thing in my lungs, like last time. You didn't cough all night, get up. Now! Don't wanna! 30 minutes later I'm up I don't want to go to the gym. So tired. It's too late anyway. I need to go to work early today. No time for the gym. Okay, but pack your gym bag, you're going after work. Why? If I'm too tired now I'll be too tired at 6pm. Pack the bag. I pack the bag anyway, but stay late at work leaving around 7:30 pm. I'm so tired, I think I'll just go home. No, you're going to the gym. It's not up for discussion. No, I'm going home. Gym. Home. We'll think about it on the way home. I eat 2 cups of icy cold watermelon chunks left over from my lunch, with my fingers, on the drive home/gym. I drink a whole water bottle of water. I'm starting to feel better. I feel better, I think I'll go to the gym. I'll get my second wind when I get there and start working out. Really Diana, don't you want to go home? Don't you feel just a little sick from that cold you had on Sunday? You're so tired. It's hot out, probably hot in the gym too. It's so late, almost 8pm. Go home. Nope, going to the gym. Shut up about it because you're not going to win this argument. Seriously, that's how it went today. This is only part of it, the conversation was back and forth all freaking day. I worked out for an hour and 45 minutes. Great workout even though my beloved StairMaster is still broken. I can barely move my arms they're so tired and already sore from the weights I lifted. I don't usually have this tough of a time going to the gym. I usually don't even think about it, I just do it. Today there was an inner battle going on inside of me. A fight, me against me. Perhaps that sounds weird, perhaps I'm really ready for the loony bin, crazytown or whatever you want to call it. Or perhaps I've learned what's best for me, and to ignore that negative, stupid voice in my head that wants me to be lazy and fat again. I don't know who she is or why she thinks she can boss me around, but I think not.

The voices in my head

There's a "good" voice and a "bad" voice constantly talking in my head. It drives me nuts sometimes. Today the conve...

The almost perfect green monster & HFCS

6:47 AM Tukiyooo 0

I keep talking about my four-part plan to get to goal, but not writing about it. I'm still working on it, but I will tell you one part: changing what I eat I'm a creature of habit and in the past 17 months I've basically stuck to the same foods, with little variation. I have eaten the exact same breakfast for months and months. I can make in it in about a minute, it's pack full of protein and I love it. It's my skinny-downed egg mcmuffin for 6 Points. Real egg (organic, free-range of course), real 2% cheddar, Thomas multi-grain muffin, low-fat Canadian bacon. But every morning? Day after day, month after month. I know this is bad. I know the importance of eating a variety of foods. It's key in weight loss and in health. There's nothing wrong with my breakfast, but there aren't any fruits or vegetables in it. That means I have to pack them into the rest of my day. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't (usually I don't). So after reading blog after blog about the green monsters I've been giving them a try. So far I've been less than impressed. Until this morning. I figured out what I didn't like about them and fixed it. I don't like super thick, not icy cold drinks. Yucky. This morning I had a monster and it was almost perfect, just a little too sweet. Tomorrow I'm leaving out the WW smoothie mix (too many chemicals anyway) and adding another scoop of goat whey (for an extra 15 grams of protein and 1.5 Points). 2 big handfuls of fresh spinach - 0 Points One scoop goat whey protein powder - 1.5 Points One WW smoothie mix - 1 Point 2 cups watermelon - 2 Points 1 small banana - 1.5 Points 1 cup water 2 cups crushed ice <-----aha! this is a key ingredient Total Points = 6 This was good, except being too sweet. It made a really large portion. I also whipped up a batch of fresh hummus this morning. Usually I buy it, but it only took a couple of minutes to make it. I didn't use a recipe, it was garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and I threw in some sun dried tomatoes we had on hand, a little sea salt and pepper. Put all that stuff in the food processor, mixed it up and instantly had yummy hummus without any weird junk in it. No idea on the Points but I only use a little over a tablespoon on my wrap instead of mayo, so I count it as a Point. Now off to face the battleground I call my work place. Lately I feel like I'm getting beat to death every day. Project managing isn't at all what I thought it would be. It looks so easy but it's really not. There are so many things to worry about on a project, and I feel like I'm being pulled in every direction. The good thing is I'm too busy during the day to even think about food. The bad thing is I'm too busy during the day to even think about food. :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dinner last night In an effort to cook more and make a variety of food, I made a stir fry last night. Onions, garlic, Roma tomatoes (squeezed out the insides so not soupy), snow pea pods, red bell pepper, and a little olive oil and then I added the shrimp. I couldn't decide what spices to use so my husband, trying to help, told me to try the Maui Sweet & Sour sauce he bought last weekend. I looked at the calories and fat and two tablespoons was 60 calories and .5 grams fat, or one Point. As I was adding in the sauce, which tasted wonderful, my husband read the ingredients on the bottle (remember - he bought this stuff). He said, "oh NO!". What? Does it contain peanuts? (I'm allergic). No, the number one ingredient was...HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. I doused our healthy vegetables and shrimp with HFCS. Nice. Yes, we ate it and yes, it was wonderful. Gotta love that HFCS.

The almost perfect green monster & HFCS

I keep talking about my four-part plan to get to goal, but not writing about it. I'm still working on it, but I will tell you one part: ...

Live From Anaheim VI

10:54 PM Tukiyooo 0

GLBT INCLUSION: Our Indaba Group met today for another couple of hours and did some serious negotiating over language. The end result was substantively similar to the original proposal but we adjusted the language to make it less challenging for those who were most uncomfortable with the resoltion. The substance is two fairly moderate points: 1. All the recent civil law changes in various jurisdictions create a new pastoral situation. The church is already committed to providing pastoral response to gay and lesbian people. So how do we respond to this new situation? Answer: Bishops are authorized to make “a generous pastoral response.” What that means depends on the situation and the judgment of the Bishop. 2. We asked the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to compile and develop theological and liturgical resources for same sex unions to be presented to the next Convention. The Indaba Group went to some effort to rephrase this language to clarify that same sex blessings are not a conclusion we have reached, just a possibility we may consider in the future. If we do consider that action, we will have an example to look at. As one advocate for blessing same sex unions observed, there are a lot of liturgies out there, but there is no quality control and they lack an agreed upon theological basis. So it needs work before we can even think intelligently about the question. We tried to say that. But when the substitute resolution got to the floor of HOB, there were further refinements meant to emphasize that this is not a done deal. We are studying and developing possible rituals that may be considered in the future. When the dust settled, we passed the substitute Resolution by a vote of 104 to 30 to 2 – even more decisively than we had passed the resolution on ordination. Bishop Gene Robinson emphasized: The caveat here is not to make more or less of the resolution than it really says. You recall I prophesied that some would misread D 025 (the ordination resolution). Well the very next day the headline of Episcopal Life’s daily newspaper covering the Convention was an inflammatory misreading of the resolution – sounding as if we had repealed B 033, the restraint resolution. Bishop Katharine apologized on behalf of the Communications Office responsible for that unfortunate spin. We have acted in good faith, with forbearance, restraint, moderation, and generosity. But there will be reactivity in some quarters and there will be spin. In order to keep our feet on the ground and our hearts true to the faith, I hope we can share throughout the church the spirit of mutual caring we experienced in the Indaba process. Even those who voted against the Resolution said the process had been holy and they were committed to our continuing relationship. BUDGET: The budget will be passed tomorrow. We just saw it today. The cuts are deep. A lot of folks have lost their jobs. However, Domestic Missionary Partnership, which funds some of our grants was cut by only 20%. I had feared it might be zeroed out. Some ethnic ministries, including Latino ministries, got increases that may actually help us. At present, my brain is mush so I cannot sort this out just yet. A few points of interest: The asking formula will be reduced to help small dioceses. Currently the first $100,000 of the budget is not subject to assessment. That will go up to $120,000. The assessment rate will be reduced by 1% in 2011, and another 1% in 2012. Convention will be shortened by 2 days. They will not publish the blue book (journal of resolutions and reports) in hard copy, just on line. Most committee meeting will be done on line instead of face to face in order to save money. NEW LITURGIES: We gave final approval to all 4 of the existing volumes of Enriching Our Worship. The most interesting thing for us is the EOW liturgy for installing a new rector. The EOW version clearly grounds the rector’s ministry in the Ministry of All Baptized (MOAB) so it may help to correct the general misunderstanding of their ministry that we struggle with in Nevada. We also approved the trial use of EOW 5 which is for child death and related pastoral situations. And we authorized beginning the study process for a new Episcopal Hymnal. LAY EVANGELISTS: We created a canon for licensing trained lay evangelists. This will help our Ministry Development Commission and Commission On Ministry to introduce this lay ministry in our parishes. I hope every parish will have a licensed lay evangelist as soon as possible. We can begin commissioning lay evangelists right away. Then we will develop the training and licensing process guided by the new canon. HIV/AIDS CURRICULIUM: We adopted training and education materials for HIV/AIDS prevention. THURGOOD MARSHALL: We added to the liturgical calendar a commemoration date for Thurgood Marshall, a devout Episcopalian, the NAACP attorney in Brown v. Board of Education, Attorney General of the United States, and the first African American Justice on the United States Supreme Court. In the midst of all this legislative work, we had another fantastic Eucharist today. Bishop Steven Charleston preached a passionate call to an environmental gospel. There was a great jazz musical setting for the liturgy. Linda is singing in the Convention choir. My friend and classmate Bishop Mary Gray Reeves, celebrated, alternating English and Spanish. Tonight we went to L A Nights, an emergent church artsy worship service with evangelist Brian McClaren, author of many good books including A Generous Orthodoxy. And now to all a good night.

Live From Anaheim VI

GLBT INCLUSION: Our Indaba Group met today for another couple of hours and did some serious negotiating over language. The end result was su...

No drama today

8:45 PM Tukiyooo 0

No drama today

I like Tony, the Anti-Jared guy . He meant me no harm with his post yesterday. I know that now. In the past year I've watched Tony evolv...

Live From Anaheim V.5

11:13 PM Tukiyooo 0

Live From Anaheim V.5

The proposal on same sex unions hit an emotional gridlock today expressed as a parliamentary tangle. Tonight a self-selected group of 30 bis...

Don't want to be bedridden in your old age? Read this!

9:38 PM Tukiyooo 0

I worked until 8pm today, another 12-hour work day. Long story and I won't bore you with it. I don't really have a choice. Perhaps unemployment, but that's not really an option. I was home by 8:30pm, after deciding not to go to the gym tonight. I had a horrible night's sleep last night, coughing and tossing and turning, the sleep of the old and the sick. I had skipped my morning workout. This makes four days of not working out. I was whining to my husband that this is how it starts, miss one day, then two days, then four, next thing you know it's been a month of not working out. Four days of no gym is a near record for me in the past 17 months. He started telling me that I needed to ease up on myself, that I was going to make myself sicker and blah blah blah. We've had this dicussion many times in the past. As if on cue, right at that very moment a program came on PBS about Aicar and it's effect on the human body. It's some sort of 'exercise in a pill" drug (not FDA approved, yet). I was fascinated, but one part really touched a nerve with me. They talked about how Aicar could be helpful for the elderly that are bedridden and can't exercise. They did an experiment on a healthy 60-year old woman (remember, I'm almost 54). She stayed in bed for ten days, and wasn't allowed to get out of bed for anything, not even allowed to sit up. In ten days of bed rest her muscles aged....are you ready for this? Fifteen years! Ten days of bed rest was equivalent to aging 15 years. She had also lost two pounds of muscle from her legs alone in those ten days! Are you thinking what I'm thinking? OH MY GOD! These are damn scary statistics. If you want to watch the videos, they're <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0403/03.html" target="blank">here</a>. The program will be online in it's entirety on July 15. All of it was interesting, but I was really intrigued about the Aiding Aging Muscles. Most of you reading this are mere children compared to me, but keep this in mind for when you get older. Exercise is essential, not optional (unless you want to end up in a wheelchair or completely bedridden). Yeah, try to keep me out of the gym tomorrow morning. No way in hell am I going to miss another workout. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In a effort to prove to you guys that I eat more than enough food, I'm going to start posting what I eat every day. You'll be amazed at how much food I eat on this unintentional maintenance thing I've been doing. More tomorrow about my plan to get back on plan and actually lose weight again. Breakfast Coffee with nonfat sugar-free creamer (the creamer is a bad habit that started recently and must stop) - 1 1 free-range organic fed chicken egg (from a friend that has chickens in his backyard) - 2 1 Thomas Light multi-grain muffin -1 1 sl. 2% extra sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 ounce) -1.5 4 sl. extra lean Canadian bacon - 1 Points = 6.5 Lunch 1 Light Flatout bread (sundried tomato) -1 5 oz. turkey breast - 5 Spinach, 1/2 cup - 0 Tomato, 1/2 cup - 0 Light mayo, 1 T (usually use hummus but was out) - 1 Points = 7 Afternoon snack: 2 cups fresh blueberries - 2 .5 Points = 2 .5 Dinner (this is unusual but it's late, almost 10pm, and I'm not at all hungry because I'm still a little sick) 6 oz. yam slices, baked with two teaspoons olive oil and sea salt - 3 + 2.5 = 5.5 1 cup 1% organic milk - 2 Points = 7.5 Total Points for the day = 23.5 Without any APs, I'm allowed 19 daily Points, plus 5 weeklies, or 24 Points maximum. I was within my Point range for the day. This was a strange day. Too busy at work for snacks, and I'm really not very hungry. A very rare occurrence for me and one I intend to take advantage of. By just typing out what I ate today I can see major flaws. Not enough protein or veggies or fruits or dairy. I'll do better tomorrow.

Don't want to be bedridden in your old age? Read this!

I worked until 8pm today, another 12-hour work day. Long story and I won't bore you with it. I don't really have a choice. Perhaps u...

Live From Anaheim V

7:33 PM Tukiyooo 0

GLBT INCLUSION: I have been hoping there would be Inclusion Resolutions I could support. In that respect D 025 was a blessing. It is a mostly well-crafted resolution affirming our commitment to the Anglican Communion and affirming the ministry of gay and lesbian people in all orders of ministry. I could readily endorse those principles especially when held together in the same resolution. After passing the House of Deputies by a margin of about 2 to 1, it passed the House of Bishops by a vote of 99-45-2. I was pleased to be voting along with Bishop Katharine in support of this Resolution. I was also pleased to see the provisional bishops for San Joachim, Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, and Quincy support it. That’s the good news. The down side is that any resolutions we pass (or reject for that matter) are open to interpretation. D 025 is no exception. This resolution will be interpreted by some in divisive ways that will wound the Church and impair our mission. There will be a price to be paid in some of our other dioceses, in our international relationships, and in Anglican churches in developing nations. But the Resolution simply acknowledges what we have already discerned and affirms that we will continue discerning calls to ministry following our own canons. I feel we have done the right thing. Now it is time to pray and exercise forbearance with one another as we proceed with Christ’s mission. Today we took up a resolution to study and develop rites for same sex unions to be formally considered in 2012. The Liturgy and Music Commission and Theology Committee would be acting in parallel and in communication. I support this more readily than I supported D 025 – but then came the amendments and amendments of amendments. The resolution is currently caught up in a parliamentary tangle. Some folks think it doesn’t go far enough fast enough, but their efforts to amend it at this point could torpedo the whole thing. I hope we can get it worked out to the satisfaction of all. COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS: We have just passed a resolution encouraging parishes to form partnerships with local public schools to insure the education and well being of children in our communities. This is what Nevada has already begun this year through our developing partnership with Communities in Schools. It is great to have the whole church getting behind our mission and to know we are ahead of the curve. BTW, I did not introduce the resolution. It is out of New York. But I did speak in support. LIFE LONG CHRISTIAN FORMATION: We passed the Charter for Life Long Christian Formation. This is precisely what our Ministry Development Commission and the Frensdorff School for Christian Formation are about. The new Charter will give them a boost. It calls for each diocese to develop a plan for lifelong Christian education. Again, it’s good to see Nevada just ahead of the curve. 5 MARKS OF MISSION: We endorsed the 5 Marks of Mission articulated by the Anglican Consultative Council: Proclaiming the gospel; baptizing and forming new Christians; acts of mercy; social justice advocacy, and sustaining the environment. LATINO EVANGELISM: We asked for the allocation $3.5 million for Latino evangelism, with a goal to increase the number of Latino congregations by 15% in the next three years and to increase attendance in existing Latino congregations by 30%. We voted to fund Spanish language curricula for church camps and for use in Province 9 (our largely Spanish speaking dioceses outside the US). Todos Los Santos in Las Vegas is ahead of the Latino ministries curve but Nevada as a whole is not. I plan to ask for seed money from the diocese to grow our Latino ministries next year, and then explore other funding options to make this a major priority in Nevada for the following years. COMPANION RELATIONSHIPS: We revised the curriculum of College for Bishops to help new bishops develop international companion relationships such as the one Nevada is working on with the Diocese of Santiago, Philippines. 20 Provinces around the world have sent visitors to this convention. 13 of the visitors are the Primates of their Province. We formed a Companion Province relationship with Brazil, which is particularly good because Brazil will support us in the wake of the other decisions made here. And we endorsed common mission projects by Anglican Churches in the Americas. So we should have more chances to work together with fellow Anglicans in the Western Hemisphere. NATIVE MINISTRIES: We endorsed a program for domestic poverty with a focus on community development projects in Native communities. We also endorsed a plan to protect Indigenous burial sites. HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CHURCH EMPLOYEES: A canon was passed requiring all Dioceses to participate in the Medical Trust of the Episcopal Church. Nevada already participates so this will reduce our premiums a bit in the near future and a great deal in the long run. It is a particular boon to small dioceses. We will be asking parishes to study and discuss health care issues on the United States. DISCIPLINARY CANONS: Title IV, the canon law for disciplining clerical miscreants, has been in the process of revision since the year 2,000. A completed new Title IV was submitted in 2006 and shot down. Now, after 9 years of work, we have it back, new and improved. This time it passed. EVANGELISM: Multiple evangelism resolutions passed including covenant partnerships with other mainline denominations; strategies for evangelism, and an innovators network. Along the way, we were greeted today by the interfaith clergy of Los Angeles. A male trio sang a blesssing for us -- a Christian in English, a Muslim in Arabic, and a Jew in Hebrew -- all singing together. Yesterday we had a great children's choir from the Bronx offering an African folk song and folk dance. I enjoyed a dinner with my bishop schoolmates (class of 08) last night. It was good to have fellowship with my friends after a long hard day of legislation.

Live From Anaheim V

GLBT INCLUSION: I have been hoping there would be Inclusion Resolutions I could support. In that respect D 025 was a blessing. It is a mostl...

Getting old sucks!

6:35 AM Tukiyooo 0

My sister is 17 years older than me. I'll be 54 in a few weeks and she'll be 71. It's actually kind of nice having a sister so much older because in a way, I can sort of foresee my future. On the other hand I know I'm going to outlive her and that breaks my heart. She's one of my very best friends. The good news is she's healthy as a horse. She's also beautiful (she got the looks and the smarts), and she looks like she's in her early 50's. She looks my age. She eats healthy, watches her weight and goes to a water aerobics class five times a week, every week. She's has never had a major illness and has only been hospitalized three times in 71 years, for the birth of her three children. This was exactly like our mother, three kids, three hospitalizations. Our mom lived until she was 86 and went from healthy one day to a coma the next and five days later she was gone. The doctor didn't know what caused her death. It's a long story, but we think moving from her own home to an assisted living home ten months earlier is what killed her, but that's another story. Here's what my sister told me yesterday about getting sick when you're older. It's true that the symptoms seem more severe, that colds last longer and generally she feels much worse than when she was younger. A little cold will put her in bed for a week whereas when she was younger she went to work with a cold. Just like me, she said they knock her to her knees these days. So my unscientific research tells me that getting old sucks. Oh wait, I already knew that!

Getting old sucks!

My sister is 17 years older than me. I'll be 54 in a few weeks and she'll be 71. It's actually kind of nice having a sister so m...

I'm sick of being sick

4:53 PM Tukiyooo 0

I have a cold. Yesterday was the worst of it, I seriously thought I was going to die. I wanted to die. Today is better, but I'm still under the weather. Something odd I've noticed the last few times I've gotten sick since losing 85 pounds. I seem to get sicker. The symptoms are more intense, I feel worse. Even a simple cold isn't a simple cold anymore. It knocks me to my knees. The cat bite, it almost killed me. The last time I had the flu, it turned into a month long bout of bronchitis. I really don't understand this. I take vitamins, I eat really healthy for the most part, I exercise like a lunatic, yet my immune system seems weaker, like it can't handle the simplest of illnesses. I'm physically stronger, I can lift heavier weights, walk farther, work out harder, but my body seems very susceptible to getting sick. I don't like this. When I was fat, a cold was just a cold. Now it feels like it's a death sentence. What's up with this? Anyone else notice this, that you're sicker now that you weigh less? It just doesn't compute.

I'm sick of being sick

I have a cold. Yesterday was the worst of it, I seriously thought I was going to die. I wanted to die. Today is better, but I'm still un...

SNC de retour en septembre 2009

2:35 AM Anonymous 0

SNC de retour en septembre 2009

La dernière permanence de Solidarités Nouvelles face au Chômage (SNC) du mois de juillet a eu lieu il y a deux semaines. Les permanences de ...

Live From Anaheim IV.5

10:03 PM Tukiyooo 0

Addendum to post earlier today: I forgot to mention a high point of the Eucharist today was Elisabeth von Trapp singing Peace Perfect Peace during Communion. A low point is that two bishops and one lay person were taken from the congregation to the hospital. All are doing fine. I have gotten some questions over recent weeks about the Theology Committee's study on same sex relationships. I have not known much about it so I have not been able to provide much information. I know a little more now. The study of same sex relationships from a theological perspective was initiated by the House of Bishops in March, 2008. Surprising it took us this long to begin sorting out the underlying doctrinal issues. This study in our church is running parallel to similar studies being done in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is the international study and conversation we did not have prior to 2003. One popular misconception is that there is no GLBT representation on the Committee. There are actually two homosexual theologians on the committee, both partnered, and in fact married to their partners. One, I am told, has written extensivly on the issues before the committee. The other I know well and respect deeply. She is a noted feminist Biblical scholar and has fought aggressively for GLBT inclusion. While gathering the different views expressed in the Church is an initial part of their process, the Committee is working toward resolution. Of course, in the Anglican tradtion, our resolutions tend to remain rather open-ended as revelation and discernment never end. But the Committee does aspire to some statement, not just a compendium of opinions. The Committee is a bit behind schedule, but there has never been a plan or expectation for a final report this soon. The fact that their work is unfinished does not mean nothing can be done about liturgy until the theology is fixed. But some theological clarification would be helpful in the view of some. It is a signficant factor, but not a decisive factor standing alone.

Live From Anaheim IV.5

Addendum to post earlier today: I forgot to mention a high point of the Eucharist today was Elisabeth von Trapp singing Peace Perfect Peace ...

Live From Lambeth IV

2:47 PM Tukiyooo 0

The first issue for Stewardship Committee yesterday was a Resolution calling on all Episcopalians to contribute 80 cents per year to foreign missions. This would double the number of missionaries in the field. This is of special interest to Nevada as one of our young adults is a candidate for the Young Adult Service Corps. Our closing hymn in Eucharist today was “Publish Glad Tidings.” The resolution passed and will go on to the floor. The House of Bishops (HOB) had passed and then rescinded the Resolution for Mission Funding. This is akin to a capital campaign. It is a 6-year drive to raise money for mission through large gifts. We all know it needs doing, but it has already begun and there is much dissatisfaction with the way it is being done. So Stewardship (mostly Bishop Mathes of San Diego) reworked the Resolution to call for backing up and getting it right before going forward. With those changes, the Resolution readily passed the Committee and then passed HOB with no opposition and only one abstention. This would fund things like new church plants in dioceses who don’t have the resources on their own. That would be us. Yesterday’s HOB legislative session began with presentations from two youth delegates. They were an inspiration. The first thing that impressed me is that they did not repeat what we so often hear about youth representation on committees – valid but not exciting -- Instead it was a call for youth evangelism. They wanted to connect other youth to Jesus. One youth delegate said “we have gone from being fishers of men to keepers of the aquarium.” He wasn’t pushing for a place at the tables where not much happens anyway. He wanted billboards and signs in malls. They also pushed support by bishops and dioceses for Episcopal Youth Event, Provincial Youth Event (next year in Salt Lake), Happening, and New Beginnings. HOB then moved on to deal with about 500,000 resolutions. High points: We endorsed the principles of the Earth Charter (broader principles but less specific action than Genesis Covenant) to be supported by Biblical and theological arguments. We called for major changes in immigration enforcement to respect human rights and treat people (especially children) decently. We called for a suspension of military aid to the Philippines if necessary to stop the extra-judicial killings and disappearances. And we addressed multiple social justice issues. This may sound like feel good resolutions that have little effect. However, the Episcopal Church acts on these resolutions through advocacy by the Office on Governmental Relations, Episcopal Public Policy Network, and Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation. The actual influence of these representatives depends on active advocacy support from the grass roots. The key to that support is – in a word – deacons. We need more deacons actively organizing the laity to speak out for justice to make the work done here amount to something. We had an awe-inspiring Eucharist this morning complete with a large group of children paying Polynesian drums and cymbals; liturgical dancers; a gospel choir, and a cast of hundreds. Bishop Katharine preached and celebrated, with Bishops Griswold and Browning concelebrating. While I march around in rochet and chimere, Linda is in the choir contributing to the spirit of worship. Last night, we had dinner with the General Seminary folks. I sat next to some wonderful retired clergy and spouses who told me about chaplaincy to retired clergy. That’s an important ministry I knew nothing about. I hope we can work on that in Nevada.

Live From Lambeth IV

The first issue for Stewardship Committee yesterday was a Resolution calling on all Episcopalians to contribute 80 cents per year to foreign...

Planning des permanences - Semaine du 13 au 17 juillet 2009

9:11 AM Anonymous 0

Planning des permanences - Semaine du 13 au 17 juillet 2009

Permanences Boutique de gestion - vendredi 17 juillet de 9h à 12h30 Ateliers Recherche d'emploi sur internet - jeudi 16 juillet de 10h...

I want a divorce because you're fat -- Part 2

8:11 AM Tukiyooo 0

In April I wrote a post entitled <a href="http://diana135.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-want-divorce-because-youre-fat.html" target="blank">I want a divorce because you're fat</a>. It was about a friend of mine who is overweight, and his wife was divorcing him because he is 150 pounds overweight. I haven't talked to him since April. He stopped by my cubicle yesterday and we chatted about how things were going, about his divorce. I could see a sadness in him that I hadn't seen before. I told him about my post I had written after our lunch, and the surprising number of people that had posted comments. Some siding with him and some siding with his wife. He asked to read the post so I sent it to him, with the comments. Here's the email he sent me after he read the post and the comments other people had posted. This is from Ben: D ~ Thanks. That was amazing to read. It really puts things into perspective for me. I don't blame her a bit for wanting to leave me. I did not do anything to correct the problem and did not give her any hope that I would. With so many years of issues (baggage) stored in our closet, like not playing ball with the kids, not taking family vacations, not doing any exercises with or without her, what choice did I really give her? I was always way too focused on making money with my home business to provide the family with money to buy whatever they wanted because I was not available physically to do the things that normal size people do with their families. And the snowball just continued to roll down hill over the years. Yes my family has a history of medical issues that are very serious and I should be doing something to prevent that from happening to me, but I didn't. I don't really know what I was looking for in life, but for what ever reason didn't feel I was getting it from home. I always felt like I was missing a role model in life to emulate as a good father and husband. But with my father-in-laws death two days before our wedding and having to bury him one day after, and my father that was a wife beater and alcoholic I really did not have anyone to emulate what it was that I should do for myself and my family. So I guess my struggle was to do my best given what little knowledge I could gather along the way in life. The last positive thing I can remember hearing from my wife was that I was a good provider, just not a good companion. Please share this comment with your blog because I want them to know that sometimes you just don't get the story of life until you read the last page of the last chapter, and by then its to late to go back and make any changes. Guess it is time to pick up a new book. Anyone got any suggestions for a good read on a 40+ Male, struggling to loose weight, and make ends meet now that he's on his own, with a full time job, and a business of 20+ customers and a desire to be a successful entrepreneur, so he can send his two kids to college starting in four years? Oh well in my book LIFE does and will go on, it will just be a little different. Thanks for the insights. ~ B I want anyone out there that is overweight to realize what they're missing in life. I'm not saying someone should divorce their spouse because they're overweight. But I am saying if you're the overweight spouse, you are missing a lot in life and that it has a negative impact on your spouse and on your marriage. I was that spouse, the overweight person in the marriage who didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. I was missing out on life and so was my husband. He never threatened divorce, but honestly, I would understand it if he had chosen that route. The whole thing is sad. Ben realized too late the importance of his family and the importance of being healthy. It's not too late for you.

I want a divorce because you're fat -- Part 2

In April I wrote a post entitled I want a divorce because you're fat . It was about a friend of mine who is overweight, and his wife was...

Time and Discernment: Abiding

2:33 AM Tukiyooo 0

I am up at 2:30 a.m. with ecclesiastical insomnia. I am reading Rabbi Jesus to help me remember what I am doing here. While taking a break from my book, I came across this reflection on discernment sent to me by the Rev. Mary Bredlau of Grace in the Desert. I found it helpful and wanted to pass it on. Of course, none of us in General Convention can afford to concern ourselves with only a few issues. We have to take it all to heart. But the idea about abiding in relationships applies here, and the idea about discernment of callings is generally essential to a servant life. So I wanted to share it: On staying with what we are called to do, not just plunging into everything we are asked to do. Practice Integrity [Practicing Spirituality with Quakers] Fidelity costs energy and time, maybe a lifetime. Every firm yes we say requires many firm nos. After Quaker Meeting one Sunday I was talking with the man who visited prisoners in jail, when a young woman approached, breathless with excitement, to ask if he would join the board of a new peace group she was organizing. In a rush of words, she told him why the cause was crucial, why the time was ripe, why she absolutely needed his leadership. Knowing this man's sympathies, I figured he would agree to serve. But after listening to her plea, he gazed at her soberly for a moment, then said, "That is certainly a vital concern, worthy of all your passion. But it is not my concern." The challenge for all of us is to find those few causes which are peculiarly our own, those to which we are clearly called, and then to embrace them wholeheartedly. If your goal is to find a center, a focus, a gathering place within your life, then you would do well to practice fidelity. By slowing down, abiding in relationships, staying in place, remaining faithful to a calling, we create the conditions for paying attention, for discovering depths, for finding a purpose and a pattern in our days. Fidelity enables us to orient ourselves, to know with some confidence where we are. It provides continuity, enabling us to see how things change, what is endangered, what persists. It keeps us from drifting, keeps us from hurrying through our days. "The reason why we don't take time is a feeling that we have to keep moving," says Thomas Merton. If we could only be still and look about, we'd realize that we already "have what we seek. We don't have to rush after it. It was there all the time, and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us." — Scott Russell Sanders in Hunting For Hope [7/8/09 E-Courses@SpiritualityandPractice.com]

Time and Discernment: Abiding

I am up at 2:30 a.m. with ecclesiastical insomnia. I am reading Rabbi Jesus to help me remember what I am doing here. While taking a break f...

Live From Anaheim III

10:08 PM Tukiyooo 0

It was a brain numbing soul draining day of parliamentary procedure in the House of Bishops. In the midst of it, good was done – but I am exhausted. Here are some highlights. Retired Presiding Bishops Edmund Browning and Frank Griswold spoke briefly. I was particularly struck by something Bishop Griswold said: Bishops stay around for convention after convention, knowing that what is not done this time may yet be done next time. Deputies are elected for only one convention at a time. So bishops are inherently inclined to take a long view while deputies have more of a sense of urgency. He said the tension between those two perspectives is helpful and healthy. Sounds right to me. We voted to reduce church committee meeting expenses by 50% and allocate the savings to mission such as Millennium Development Goals. And we adopted the Genesis Covenant to reduce our carbon footprint by 50% in the coming five years. Cutting down on travel is also a way to reduce carbon footprint. Much has been said about reducing the length and costs of national and diocesan conventions. We also passed the Domestic Poverty Initiative, a project to alleviate domestic poverty, particularly focused on Native communities. We adopted Holy Women and Holy Men, a substitute for Lesser Feasts and Fasts, on a trial basis – but only after a lot of parliamentary rigmarole. Someone moved to replace the Rite I (Elizabethan English) collect with Spanish; someone moved to amend that motion to add French. Spanish speaking bishops rose up in defense of Elizabethan English. In the end, it passed as is for a 3 year trial with the understanding all our liturgical texts are actually printed in different books with different languages. I personally have a bit of a problem with parts of the book, like the addition of musicians (Bach, Handel, and Purcell) but no visual artists (like El Greco, Caravagio, and Fra Angelico). Also no poets like Tennyson, Eliot, and Auden (but they did add C. S. Lewis but not J. R. R. Tolkein). But I didn’t raise the issue, knowing it would eventually lead to movies and then it there would be no stopping it. More good news: we approved full communion with the Moravian Church, then stood and sang the doxology in celebration. The HOB also requested $75,000 for camps like Camp Spirit for children of inmates. But the budget crunch may make that more of a nice wish than a reality. Those were the high points. There were also low points. Lots of word smithing and nit picking. Some good proposals, like the one for licensing lay evangelists, sent back to committee. A number of bright gems gleamed in the dross of tedium. At the end, we learned that there is a flap in the House of Deputies being stirred up by a deputy from Ecuador Central who is apparently misrepresenting how their new bishop was selected. It is a complicated and sad story going back to the removal of their bishop a few years ago for corruption. The current Bishop, Wilfrido Ramos, has achieved great healing. But wounds remain from the former bishop and they made the process of choosing a new bishop problematic. My last parish had a companion parish in Ecuador Central in the bad old days. So this is a familiar story to me. It would be sad to see Ecuador Central derailed by this. Pray for Ecuador Central. Tonight Linda and I went to a Program, Budget, and Finance Committee meeting on the financial distress facing the Episcopal Church in coming years. We participated as best we could, being as patient as we could with dioceses that give 2% of their budget while Nevada gives its full 21% assessment. At last, I made a short speech telling the group that Nevada is one of the hardest hit states in the nation when it comes to this recession, but our diocesan income is up; and we are one of the poorest dioceses in the Episcopal Church, but we give our 21%. It’s a spiritual thing. I didn’t say “it’s a moral thing” – but it is. And I feel privileged to be in a diocese that does the right thing, not the easy thing. That’s the measure of character.

Live From Anaheim III

It was a brain numbing soul draining day of parliamentary procedure in the House of Bishops. In the midst of it, good was done – but I am ex...

Book Recommendation

8:22 AM Tukiyooo 0

Book Recommendation

I awoke this morning chuckling over the wit of a book philosophically inclined Christians would love -- There Is A God by Anthony Flew. A gr...

CamelBak…well kinda!

8:08 PM Tukiyooo 0

Since we are training in the dead of summer and getting into longer runs we decided to needed to have some hydration mid-run! I did some research and decided to get a CamelBak. We headed to Dunhams and didn’t have much luck finding what we wanted, but they did have an “off” brand, but the same type of thing! And it was much less $$ than what CamelBak’s are. So we went with it! It’s a nice little back pack that straps across your chest and holds 2L of water and has a “straw” type thing that clips in on your shoulder for easy access while running!  What a great invention!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2LVMut_yJiJll9u2P_GFZeoYjOE19JKn8FYbYeFZeFO34ZPIZ3NXvmMSqCexUVHeK8oDfYbByKZWxuN4f0KRVJ9Cbh9ZgJa7HUR-b3eqnLdvqirZXvM0IVqGrHP101CSQLAPeJXFqy6f/s1600-h/DSC03717%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC03717" border="0" height="654" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQsdmdYrU-mp-T4URra2ZRgQGQL83_7_5i5Oth6gU7sdK4qurlcWjEoa2HwTOBU5CKHLGpqsHLhuotEhqS6OEqM8YzDJJErVjjznj8vaCutXOiDCddNdErlaC_8ezv1PwhgfoeP_cgzWL/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC03717" width="492" /></a>  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbe74pwP_S7ldbMn7eToUpbtQlmhvNVLLRNtjPJuPoafcC4a-tevyNs_uCKMLhxyKmN_7KzecbwD8ls8q5ayXrTtj3xUxMT4IVTlbBTnlV8ztENvZhGuMS_OenlAhKYbTFyFWdbx7kYjUs/s1600-h/DSC03719%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC03719" border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XokcDGWtoyZMpoyLJtINmZKv5bxXavbMIYFvPolFd91JwPhz2njdnVOhOQ9fQfBmK09Cf5PxSF4LIJeOgb-wL-3wvN4KkJMedkF_yTs7FMm4thr9LN2XN6Y-AjsISw-p-ODrL-EvyCw_/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC03719" width="654" /></a>  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgiO6C77wvWbsv8P6A39MwO3IppiASPNXRxPMpxzAgvH8Kpugnv3uqELCjQc2TeKn1AlAD4OsZkkO8zbgujl3uBJVZxwoeWC7V8mW-1AoVnee98HzKbLkmmiedG_yBDBcuGc_SXJtaL_06/s1600-h/DSC03721%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC03721" border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0s6oAZ35bulb6l2csrR9WMR9GkSLuyND5oRrbDBj5yJwss_c0n7sfCmQFtsSyaX2m6fONzbJifxK50gCIY3Qf9mafVSolGBc6kkgZPK1Fnn0malu9ArMZJ-Ua3jsazenhsADMO87OExQf/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC03721" width="554" /></a> <a href="http://bangertfam.blogspot.com/2009/07/4-years.html">Plus check out our family blog to see our anniversary post!! :)</a>

CamelBak…well kinda!

Since we are training in the dead of summer and getting into longer runs we decided to needed to have some hydration mid-run! I did some res...

Live From Anaheim II

3:48 PM Tukiyooo 0

There are so many things going on here all the time. It's hard to keep up and harder still to tell a coherent story of it. The work of the Stewardship and Develoment Committee goes on -- day after day. We have dealt with a wide variety of issues: the Genesis Covenant; Millennium Development Goals; accommodations for persons wih disabilities; humane treatment of farm animals; the funding of a major develoment project at 815; strategic planning; etc. After some struggle, the issues have been dealt with thoughtfully and come to postitive results. The House of Bishops (HOB ) has passed most of our work. They adopted the Genesis Covenant following the lead of Olympia and Nevada. HOB requested the reinstatement of funding for Millennium Development Goals -- funding had been entirely cut due to the financial crisis -- and actually increased funding to 1% of the 815 budget. All the national money will go to Nets For Life (mosquito nets) which is fine with me but I hope our diocese and parishes can direct some money to micro credits. I am learning patience with the process. Our two Eucharists have been holy and inspiring. Bishop Katharine preached yesterday; Archbishop Rowan Williams preached today; Bishop John Bruno (LA) celebrated in Spanish. Bishop Katharine and Archbishop Williams have both been appealing for unity and restraint -- but they have done so in markedly restrained ways. I dont' think anyone could say this time that there is any undue pressure. But as primates whose role in the Church is to maintain unity, they could not do otherwise than try to hold us together. They remind us of our essential unity in Christ despite our differences and that we need each other. Yesterday evening, Archbishop Williams gave a program on Faithfulness in the Global Economic Crisis. He treated our financial situation as an occasion for spiritual converstion with implications for social justice and environmental responsibility. Linda and I attended a late night meeting of the Deputies of Color last night. They addressed issues of shared concern calling for mutual support. It was good to see such diversity and such recognition of commonality. It was an honor and a privilege to be their guest. Tonight we had dinner with the Nevada deputation (plus visitors, ECW, etc.) and the deputation from Navajoland honoring our historic and continuing ties. This morning, the deputations met together to practice Public Narrative -- story telling leading to a sense of mission. This afternoon, the House of Deputies began their open discussion of B033 -- the 2006 moratorium resolution on same sex blessings, openly gay bishops, and jurisdictional incursions. The House of Bishops will have a parallel discussion soon. We are working on some way to share the fruit of those discussions between the two houses before voting on specific resolutions begins. As we approach these hard issues, I am struck by how different the situation is from just a few months ago. The Primates have demonstrated a marked change in attitude since Lambeth. They still appeal for the moratoria for awhile longer but acknowledge that some people of good faith may be bound by conscience to violate them -- which does not solve our issues but it does make the moratoria considerably less oppressive than before. The Anlgican Consultative Council has not pushed for the adoption of the international Anglican Covenant at this time -- as we all had expected them to do -- though they still appeal for us to continue the moratoria and the process of discussing the Covenant. The new President of the Anglican Consultative Council is my friend Bishop Jame Tengatenga of Mulawi, a brilliant, compassionate, open minded man. Many of the more hard line bishops in other nations are on the verge of retirement and the younger bishops are more open to constructive dialogue. We are now hearing from GLBT Anglicans in other nations who need us to remain in relationship with their churches. These voices were not part of our discussion prior to Lambeth. Attitudes are shifting in developing nations, as we saw in the recent reversal of anti-gay laws in India. In Nevada, I sense that we take these issues seriously but it is not a crisis. Thanks to the conscience clause in the last primate's communique, clergy in Nevada are now free to make their own discernment on this issue. That is not the same as an offically authorized rite. Some beleive that the action of several states in legalizing gay marriage -- in Nevada, legalizing civil unions -- calls for a new liturgical response. Others believe our liturgy should be grounded in our theology instead of tracking secular law. The theology committtee will be issuing its report next year. I anticipate that will very likely lead to a liturgical response. The shifts that have happened, the shifts that are happening, and the shifts that are about to happen all bear on our deliberations. But there is much discussion and deliberation yet to do. We have a number of resolutions before us, but they are apt to be amended considerably before coming to a vote.

Live From Anaheim II

There are so many things going on here all the time. It's hard to keep up and harder still to tell a coherent story of it. The work of t...